1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to organ pedal boards and more specifically to an improved mounting arrangement for each pedal key and a new and improved switching arrangement associated with each key.
2. Prior Art
In most prior art pedal boards the individual keys are mounted for pivotal movement on the supporting frame by means of a relatively stiff spring steel member which is secured to each pedal key and the support with a knife edge fulcrum engaging the spring steel member intermediate the ends thereof. Ordinarily felt strips are utilized to cushion the engagement of each pedal key with the frame at its limits of movement.
In most prior art pedal board arrangements having a magnetic reed switch associated with the end of each key upon which a magnet is mounted, the magnet is ordinarily disposed in the rest position intermediate the ends of the vertically disposed reed switch so that the switch will be disposed in the open position. Upon depression of the pedal key, the magnet will be moved downwardly adjacent one end of the reed switch thereby closing the switch. As the felt strip against which the pedals rest in their inactive position is compressed due to repeated contact by the keys the inactive position of the key may shift sufficiently to bring the magnet adjacent the upper most end of the reed switch thereby causing inadvertent closing of the magnetic switch. Furthermore, while it is desirable to have the magnets disposed as close as possible to the reed switches, this is a difficult objective since it is virtually impossible to form the wooden pedal keys, secure the magnet to the end thereof and secure each pedal key to the supporting block with uniform tolerances.